Alcohol Raises Blood Pressure

Australian researchers
have found that it is alcohol in
general and not necessarily an
ingredient specific to beer or
wine that causes an increase
in blood pressure. Renate R.
Zilkens, PhD, and colleagues
from the University of Western
Australia School of Medicine
and Pharmacology monitored
for 4 weeks 24 healthy, nonsmoking
men aged 20 to 65
with normal blood pressure
and no history of heart disease.
The men were randomly
assigned to 4 different drinking
groups: 13 oz (half a bottle) of
red wine per day, 13 oz of nonalcoholic
red wine, 37 oz (3
cans) of beer per day, or no
alcohol. Each man was monitored
for blood pressure and
blood vessel functioning, as
well as providing blood and
urine samples.

The beer-drinking group
had a systolic pressure
increase of 2.9 mm Hg, while
the wine drinkers had a systolic
pressure increase of 1.9
mm Hg. The nonalcoholic
wine group had no increase in
blood pressure. Beer drinkers
also experienced an increase
in sleeping heart rate of 5
beats per minute, while wine
drinkers experienced a 4.4-beats-per-minute increase.
The researchers concluded
that alcohol itself raises blood
pressure, not specifically wine
or beer. They noted, however,
that these results apply to men
with normal blood pressure.